Among alumni: Two notables in ESU ceremony

Wednesday

Dec 24, 2008 at 12:01 AM

East Stroudsburg University's commencement exercises on Dec. 12-13 highlighted the contributions of two distinguished graduates. ESU conferred a posthumous Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree on ESU alumnus Warren E. Hoeffner at its undergraduate commencement on Dec. 13.

East Stroudsburg University's commencement exercises on Dec. 12-13 highlighted the contributions of two distinguished graduates.

ESU conferred a posthumous Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree on ESU alumnus Warren E. Hoeffner at its undergraduate commencement on Dec. 13.

The honorary doctorate, rarely given by the university, honors Hoeffner for, among other things, his extraordinary contributions to education, social and civic engagement, and for his generosity to the university. Hoeffner and his wife, Sandra, recently pledged the largest individual gift by an alumnus to the university in support of the new Science and Technology Center. The center, recently completed and opened for the fall 2008 semester, was named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Hoeffner. Sandra Hoeffner accepted Warren's posthumous honorary doctorate on his behalf at the commencement ceremony.

Prior to his recent passing, Hoeffner was chairman of the board for Rex-Hide, a major company whose extruded rubber products are used in industries ranging from automotive and marine to industrial and oil. He started as a purchasing agent at Rex-Hide after a brief teaching and football coaching career. He ultimately rose to the presidency and then chairmanship of the company. Throughout the years he was instrumental in guiding the company through product and marketing transitions which ensured its growth and success.

While a student at East Stroudsburg State Teachers College (as ESU was known then), Hoeffner was a history and geography major and a stand-out athlete and quarterback for the Warriors 1954 championship football team. An alumni magazine feature article recently stated that he learned his leadership skills from his experiences as an athlete and a student while at the university and later as a teacher and head football coach at two high schools, before accepting his position with Rex-Hide.

Hoeffner's athletic prowess earned him induction into ESU's Athletic Hall of Fame as both an individual (2003) and as part of the 1954 championship football team (2004).

He is survived by his wife and by the couple's five grown children: Holly Jo, Warren Todd, Bradley John, Noelle and Heather Lynn, and 12 grandchildren.

A former president and commissioner of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, Connie O. Hughes, was the keynote speaker for the exercises.

She is a graduate of ESU, where she received a degree in mathematics. In 1976, she earned her master's degree in city and regional planning from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. She serves as an adviser, speaker and consultant on energy and telecommunications issues, and is a community volunteer.

Hughes formerly served as the New Jersey governor's chief of policy and management, responsible for policy development and implementation across all state agencies. She served as ex-officio officer of higher education and she was a member of the N.J. State Planning Commission, the N.J. Commission on Science and Technology, the N.J. Commission on Environmental Education and the N.J. State Board of Human Services, as well as the governor's designee on the N.J. Board for Commerce and Economic Growth.

She serves on the N.J. Energy Coalition, has advised Seton Hall University on telecommunication issues, venture capitalists on solar energy proposals, former N.J. Gov. Florio on wind farms, and N.J. Gov. Corzine on fiscal restructuring.

Hughes has conducted research at the Center for Urban Policy Research, Rutgers University and was a former high school mathematics teacher in Elizabeth, N.J. She has received numerous awards for her public service, and was recently named the 2001-2007 Clean Energy Leader by the N.J. Board of Public Utilities, 2007.